Father-daughter duo combine talents to craft fine German timepieces

January 31, 2023 · 0 Comments

For the love of time

“Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it.”
– Leonardo da Vinci

By Mark Pavilons
Editor

“A gentleman’s choice of timepiece says as much about him as does his Saville Row suit,” author Ian Fleming once wrote.
We can’t all be James Bond, but we can wear a nice watch.
Most of us have heard about the iconic, time-honoured brands, many of which keep on ticking.
But there are untold smaller producers – microbrands – whose stories need to be told. These are the inventors, the visionaries, the passionate entrepreneurs.
Some feel it’s sad that our smart phones are replacing the classic wrist watch.
Men tend to view their watches as necessities, even cherished showpieces. It’s about style and self-expression more than it about just telling time.
And that’s the beauty of it – it’s simple.
In a world of cheap, disposable watches, it’s refreshing that some craftsmen and women are still passionate about watch-making.
Meet Wilfried and his daughter Mia Liefer, founders of FineWatchesBerlin. They leapt into the start-up scene only three years ago, driven by an idea that percolated for decades.
Wilfried said he wanted to create his own line of watches and by 2017, things “realigned” to make the time right.
He worked as a goldsmith for many years, running a long-established jewellery store in Spandau.
Even then, he offered customers lesser known brands of watches such as Jörg Schauer, Alain Silberstein, Nomos, Chronoswiss and Jacques Etoile.
“We are inspired by art, music, craftsmanship and design,” he said. “And we are curious.”
Liefer explained they are people who “need” space and freedom, who have the “courage to realize our ideas, who consciously take calculated risks, seek out productive connections with others, take pleasure in success, and never get bored.”
These are qualities required to reach goals and make dreams come true.
They could have rustled up money through online platforms such as Kickstarter, but they wanted to remain completely independent in all areas.
“It is important to us to realize our dream one-to-one and not to be subject to the financial interests of others,” Mia observed.
They say what’s old is new again, and Wilfried noted that old rule came alive. He pointed out that many of the basic concepts of the 1990s are proving to be more relevant than ever.
“This is the conviction behind the realization of my idea, achieved in cooperation with well-known developers and in top-class production facilities.
“Our collaboration as daughter and father sees a depth of experience in both work and life complemented by specialist training and artistic talent.”
While FineWatchesBerlin is still relatively new for them, they are adamant about their convictions.
“We are in the ideal position in terms of both timing and the energy we bring to it. We look forward to an exciting future.”
Production is as key as the design elements. According to the founding duo, eight suppliers are working in accordance with the strict specifications from Spandau. The production is supervised and coordinated by an external specialist on site.
“Cooperation between Spandau and China is running smoothly thanks to modern means of communication,” explains Wilfried.
And it seems the public and watch experts alike are responding positively.
The Spandau-based company also wants to improve the world with its products – at least by a little.
For each watch they sell, 50 Euros goes to the aid organization Hands with Hands, which is committed to the construction of schools and orphanages in Nepal and grants microcredit to women.
That’s something only a very committed and caring company does.
We only have a certain amount of time. Perhaps we should enjoy every second of it, just like the Liefers.
Check out their lineup at https://www.finewatches.berlin/en/
Read the follow-up review of their timepieces coming soon.